Google backs down as Maps for mobile returns to Windows Phone

This morning we woke to a nice little surprise: reports from users that Google Maps via the maps.google.com web address is once again now working on your Windows Phone. Heading to the site (in “mobile mode” not “desktop”) it asks to use your location and it loads up just as it should.

Over the last few days a brouhaha has exploded over Google unceremoniously dumping maps.google.com for Windows Phone users on top of confessing no desire to make a dedicated mobile app. The move was explained away at first under the guise of the Webkit theory, notably that Internet Explorer is a non-Webkit browser and ergo not optimized to run maps.google.com though not many of us took them seriously...

The argument fell short of believability though since IE9 and IE10 on Windows Phone are their core the same as the PC version. Instead, arguments about optimization etc. were used instead though it was never really believed by many users who saw this yet-again as another finger in the eye by Google.

Google Maps via Internet Explorer for Mobile though is once again working and while we still prefer to use Maps for Windows Phone or Nokia Maps on certain devices, we also like having the option especially when doing web searches to use Google’s services. It’s more about principle than actually using their services. Evidently it wasn’t too hard either for Google to “fix” Maps either as it was literally just days for them to make some optimizations for our devices.

We’re not sure when Google became so testy towards people who want to use their services but it sure does make it difficult to like them these days. Anyway, if you want to use Google Maps now via the browser, you can now do so. Now the question is when, if ever, will we see some dedicated apps? Thanks to all who sent this in…

The biggest issue with all the map apps I've tried including built in and gmaps, is search sucks. Its so easy to find places in Google Maps. Gmaps doesn't even provide a list of search results and the Bing one doesn't find key places I know exist, like searching for "tires". I really want a dedicated Google app.

I am glad it works and it should have been that way from the beginning. I wonder what Google's lame excuse would be to getting maps back to WP phones? " We were able to implement a ...yatta yatta yatta " and it works now... Google please...

Slanted articles like this are making it hard to stay on your side, Daniel. Biting sarcasm could be written about how Microsoft is using the only closed-source rendering engine on the market, or how Microsoft only let some people use Chevron until they "ran out of tokens".
"I don't know when Microsoft started being so testy to people who just want an offical way to homebrew their devices".
Writing like this just isn't that great. It's uncomfortable and fanboy-ish.

It is always good to have a choice, just in case we need. But Nokia Maps on my Lumia is way way better! And its integration with all the rest of the phone is second to none! People, Nokia Drive and Walk, etc. It couldn't be a better match. Now Google, why do we need you?

Why some of the countries need Google maps is because of these reasons- (open Here maps using co-ordinates below and compare with Google maps below in satellite mode)
-17.863569138074276, 31.20643951098316
I have notified them but nothing is being done.

To everyone who says that nokia/wp maps is the superior option, what is your answer to gps/journey searching for multiple destinations? At least google maps will allow you to search a>b>c, wp seems to be limited to current position>defined destination. I would like to know an answer, then I could agree with you.

I actually moved my gmail account / contacts / calendar to outlook.com when they announced that they were not going to do dedicated apps for windows phone....
S*ck it google.... i'm out ! (After being a big Android fan for over 2 years.....)

Just because some of you don't think any Google products on the phone are necessary, there are plenty of people who do. Like say, my wife, who has been a GMail user since you needed an invite to be on it and has all her lables and folders and filters set up the way she likes it, I got her to switch from Android to the Windows Phone but is regretting it a bit because the support isn't there. That's not how the "free and open" internet is supposed to work.
I use Google services as well such as Gmail and YouTube, it's because it's what I had and I work with it, I don't want to be bothered to switch and have mail forward all over the place.
Just think, if Google had gotten away with this, what next? Pulling support of embedded maps? Embedded YouTube? Its good that these sites and watchdog groups are calling foul. Just remember that and maybe support these initiatives even if you don't agree with them. The platform will never grow if we can't get people to switch from Apple or Android where these services work so well. Especially when we're talking about maps, where our system is pretty fragmented depending where you live, US or everywhere else in the world.
WP user since Nov 11, 2010

Not to mention now that Google is shutting off EAS its a real PITA to deal with that on my new WP8 device arriving tomorrow. MS still has not enabled changing the name of your Microsoft Live account which is my Gmail account name so I can't get my Outlook.com account properly set up so I can get my email forwarding and other misc issues. It would be nice for Google to get with the rest of the world and develop for other platfoms, we are their customers too.

Though I've never used it this way, nor want to, as stated in the article, its purely the principle of the matter amongst the other long line of issues Google has with WP and shutting out it's users. I was once a happy google user, I rather liked the company and supported them and used both google and microsoft products.This has changed over the past few months as Google's decided to keep me from being able to access my own information while using their services.

So yeah, rocking the windows ecosystem for the most part now, keep trying to get things moved out of google as I can.

This incident has not been blown out of proportion. The uproar was about Google's anti-competitive practice, and it was about Google shutting off access to competing mobile OS users. Nothing more, nothing less. This incident flies in the face of Google's mission statement "Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it UNIVERSALLY accessible and useful.." What a bunch of hypocrites.

I don't use Google maps as well. That does not mean other people don't use it. That does not mean that Google can discriminate one group of users. This morning was the 1st time I used it. I didn't see any functional problem unless Google fixed something in the 3 days since they announced restoring the service. This certainly disproved Google's excuse of webkit problems. So now Google is not just a hypocrite but also a liar. Do you trust them with your information and the things that Google tells you?

It is OK if you don't care. But you is not everybody else. Don't equate MS with Google in this incident. Google is definitely the culprit here. If MS is not doing right in other cases, you can voice your criticism as well. By not critical of Google in this case, you are a biased observer.

You're right that a lot of people probably don't use the gmail web version, but I think where some people can be affected are when they use mobile sits that have google maps embedded in them... that broke too.

The Google who reads all your gmails, arbritrarily blocks services for users, doesn't like to pay licensing even though it took IP on a phone platform that looks remarkably like iOS, logs all your search terms from Search, tracks all your browsing habits, knits them all together under your name and email address it harvested from your Gmail then tries to sell you stuff from people who have given them cash for adverisements.